Many vendors of goods and/or services engage consumers online, e.g., through marketing via social networks. Often, consumers are driven to participate with vendors purely out of their own enthusiasm and/or interest for particular brands. Other consumers are enticed to participate with vendors online by consumer incentives, such as contests, rebates, and other rewards. This customer participation allows vendors to obtain valuable market research data. For example, participation in an online product giveaway may require a customer to surrender some personal information, such as their address, age, and other interests.
Consumers, self-regulatory trade associations, and governmental regulators have become increasingly sensitive to online privacy issues. As a result, consumers have begun to demand more security in the methods they use to participate with vendors online. In addition, as consumers increasingly understand the value of the information they are sharing with vendors, consumers have begun to demand more value in exchange for their participation. Further still, consumer usage of mobile devices is growing. In fact, many consumers predominantly use their cellular phones to access the Internet. Accordingly, consumers have begun demanding increasingly convenient and entertaining ways by which to participate with vendors online.